Cap on banquet halls, indoor gathering raised to 50 pc of capacity
Heads of schools, colleges to ensure CAB, SOPs, vaccination
Night curfew lifted, DCs asked not to drop testing levels
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 13: The Government today ordered reopening of all Universities and Colleges in Jammu and Kashmir and schools from 9th to 12th in Summer zone from tomorrow and rest of classes from February 21 for offline teaching as COVID cases eased further in the entire Union Territory.
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It also withdrew night curfew in the UT which was in force for last nearly two years now and increased gathering capacity for indoor functions and banquet halls from 25 percent of total capacity to 50 percent.
The Government, however, directed for strict observance of COVID Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) and made it mandatory for students in the age group of 15-17 to carry vaccination certificate.
The latest guidelines were issued this evening by Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kumar Mehta in his capacity as the Chairperson State Executive Committee (SEC) on the orders of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
The schools will be fully operational for offline classes after nearly two years as they were shut in March 2020 after spread of COVID cases across the country including Jammu and Kashmir.
Night curfew which was also in force for last nearly two years from 10 pm to 6 am, though it wasn’t enforced strictly, has also been withdrawn.
“All Universities, Colleges, Polytechnics, ITIs etc shall commence routine offline (physical attendance) teaching after ensuring readiness for enforcement of COVID Appropriate Behaviour and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) from February 14. However, all students in the age group of 15-17 must carry vaccination certificate with them while attending the classes,’’ an order issued by the SEC said.
It added that the Head of the Institutions must ensure that guidelines related to Social Distancing and CAB are strictly followed including regular screening at the entrance of the institutions. The symptomatic students will be screened and subjected to testing to contain spread of the virus.
As far as schools are concerned, the Government directed that Summer Zone schools in the UT will open in a phased manner.
Though classes from 9th to 12th will commence offline teaching from tomorrow, all students of 15-17 age group will have to carry vaccination certificate with them. Heads of the Institutions have been asked to ensure vaccination of every student above 15 years of age in their respective schools.
“The vaccination adherence shall be ensured through coordination with the Department of Health and Medical Education J&K. Every school must further ensure full compliance to CAB and testing of symptomatic students.
The Government order said the offline mode of teaching for remaining junior classes in Summer Zone schools shall commence from February 21. Head of the Institutions have been asked to prepare proper plans for maintenance of CAB.
However, the Winter Zone Schools of Jammu and Kashmir, which are presently observing winter vacations, have been asked to commence offline teaching for all classes from February 28. For these schools, Heads of the Institutions have been asked to follow guidelines for vaccination of students aged above 15 and Social Distancing norms.
“Coaching centres for Civil Services/Engineering/NEET etc are permitted to adopt offline mode of teaching subject to condition that faculty members as well as students are fully vaccinated and head of the centre must ensure due precautions like maintaining of CAB and SOPs,’’ the SEC order read.
It, however, asked all Deputy Commissioner to intensify testing and ensure full utilization of available RT-PCR and RAT capacities and ensure that there is no drop in testing levels.
The Government has also permitted banquet halls to hold functions up to 50 percent of authorized capacity as against 25 percent presently, preferably in open spaces. Strength for indoor gathering has also been raised from 25 percent to 50 percent of authorized capacity.
However, the cap of 25 percent of the capacity remained in force for cinema halls, theatres, multiplexes, restaurants, clubs, gymnasiums and swimming pools.
While reiterating its direction to all offices to regulate attendance of its employees such a manner that appropriate Social Distancing norms are maintained, the Government has withdrawn the guideline which permitted physically disabled persons and pregnant women to work from home.
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